Today, on the eve of the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ funk ensemble, Dumpstaphunk releases “Where Do We Go From Here,” the first single and title-track off their forthcoming album. The song is available on all digital platforms worldwide; listen by visiting the link HERE.
"Where Do We Go From Here" really comes more from my perspective on life in general, than being specifically about Katrina or the unprecedented events of the last 6 months. I mean those of us from here (New Orleans) were asking ourselves this same question 15 years ago, not knowing what the future of our city would hold. Looking at where we are now, we stand at a different crossroads given the uncertainty of a worldwide pandemic, the struggles we're facing with social injustice and systemic racism, and the turmoil in a controversial election year. It is a question we are asking ourselves again. The song remains an optimistic point of view towards facing the challenges of the future and the unknown."
“Myself, Nick [Daniels] and Tony [Hall] were kids during the 60’s-70’s, so we saw a lot growing up,” says the group’s founding member Ivan Neville. “We see the same stuff still going on - the systemic racism, the racial profiling, all the social injustice. We’re at a crossroads right now in this country, and something’s got to change. At the same time, lyrically speaking, Dumpstaphunk is putting out a conscious message of optimism in confronting the challenges of the unknown.”
Over the past 17 years, Dumpstaphunk has earned its reputation as the most well-regarded, next-generation New Orleans live powerhouses, the type of band whose live shows attract sit-ins from legends like Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Trombone Shorty and many more. Dumpstaphunk’s founding members Ivan Neville (vocals/keyboards) Ian Neville (guitar) Tony Hall (bass/guitar/vocals) and Nick Daniels (bass/vocals) along with newest members Alex Wasily (trombone) and Deven Trusclair (drums), have built upon the Neville family’s iconic NOLA legacy as they’ve transformed into the city’s pre-eminent 21st-century funk-fusion export. Modernizing and reinvigorating the Neville family groove has been one of the driving forces of Dumpstaphunk since the band spontaneously formed during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2003.
“Obviously, the New Orleans history is just embedded in us, but we manage to incorporate all the other stuff we’ve listened to over the years,” says Ivan. “We’re representing a legacy, but we’re reimagining a lot of it too.”
“Where Do We Go From Here” will be featured on the band’s upcoming 4th studio album, slated for release this Fall 2020 via Mascot Label Group / The Funk Garage.
“We hope people can hear the new songs and are inclined to dance while being inspired to think at the same time,” Ivan continues, referring to the band’s delicate balance between topic material and dance-floor rockers. Or, as Ian describes the tone of the album, “subtle but pertinent.”
Stay tuned for additional updates.
